Taking the waltz to North Korea

The ‘superstar violinist’ André Rieu, 62, lives in a Maastricht castle when he is not touring the world with his own Johann Strauss Orchestra

Sue Fox

Sunday February 12 2012, 12.01am, The Sunday Times

Sue Fox

Sunday February 12 2012, 12.01am, The Sunday Times

My wife, Marjorie, and I are early birds, up at 6.30am when our bedroom is filled with the sound of the bells ringing in the church next door to our home in Maastricht, the Torentjes castle. Marjorie was my first love. Now we’ve been married 37 years, but we still sit and make plans over breakfast. I have orange juice, coffee, Pfefferkuchen — a spice cake like gingerbread — bread and cheese.

As a little boy growing up here in Maastricht I used to walk by this castle, whose name, Torentjes, means “little towers”. I was a huge Tintin fan and in one of the books the professor buys a castle. I wanted my own. I’ve always believed in realising your dreams, so 10 years